Randy Stubblefield: Leading a Successful Agribusiness Merger

The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

In this engaging episode of the Intentional Agribusiness Leader podcast, host Mark Jewell sits down with Randy Stubblefield, CEO of United Farm and Home Co-op. The conversation steers through Randy's personal and professional journey, exploring his perspectives on being intentional, the intricacies of integrating merged co-ops, and the significance of talent retention and appreciation in the agricultural sector.

Diving into the realms of agribusiness leadership, Randy shares his experience with guiding United Farm and Home Co-op through a successful merger while maintaining a strong cooperative culture. The episode unveils the strategies behind effective communication, talent acquisition, and employee appreciation that resonate with the co-op's values and customers' needs—offering invaluable insights into purpose-driven leadership.

• Randy Stubblefield discusses the impact of his agricultural background and how it has influenced his leadership style, emphasizing the importance of being intentional in action and relationship-building with employees and customers.
• Mark and Randy explore the challenges and triumphs of merging five co-ops while retaining key staff and preserving a culture of cooperation and customer care.
• Randy shares innovative ways the co-op expresses appreciation for its workforce, particularly the often-overlooked roles critical to operation success.

Key Takeaways:

• Intentionality in agribusiness leadership involves passion, proper treatment of people, and a focus on doing the right things for employees and customers.
• Successful integration of merged co-ops can be achieved by fostering teamwork, ensuring transparent communication, and prioritizing customer service.
• Employee appreciation, particularly in challenging roles like driving during planting seasons, is crucial for retention and morale.
• Recruiting passionate employees with agricultural ties and supporting youth in FFA and 4-H fosters a strong future employee base.
• Personal growth and team leadership can be built through open-mindedness and learning from each other's experiences.

Notable Quotes:

• "It's very important, the communication. The other thing that we're focusing on is trying to find like-minded employees." - Randy Stubblefield
• "We find that if you get those ones that are passionate about your agriculture, you got a better chance to retain them." - Randy Stubblefield
• "But a lot of times, us business leaders, we forget about the people that are really pulling the weight." - Randy Stubblefield
• "If you get a group of people working together, you can accomplish about anything." - Randy Stubblefield
• "We take some of that vulnerability from the farmers and transfer that risk." - Randy Stubblefield

For a deeper dive into Randy Stubblefield's philosophies on agribusiness leadership, team integration, and employee appreciation within the cooperative framework, tune in to the full episode. Stay engaged with our series to discover more enlightening conversations that shed light on intentional leadership and innovation in the agricultural industry.